2000 Barolo Gattera

According to Enrico Cordero, 2000 produced better wines than 1997, which featured lower acidity in the grapes. The wines are more complete, he explained, because the summer of 2000 benefited from some well-timed rain in addition to sun and heat. The Cordero Barolos are distinctly oakier than they were as recently as the mid-'90s, but the vintages I tasted in September showed striking perfume. Cordero is high on 2001. "The 2001s need another five or six years in bottle, while the '98s are perfect right now," he told me. The Barolos here ferment for 10 to 12 days, with very warm temperatures and a lot of pumpovers used during the first three days. The wine then goes directly into barriques, where the malolactic fermentation usually finishes quickly in a warm room.